Golfer&#39;s sway detector

ABSTRACT

The Golfer&#39;s Sway Detector is a golf aid that attaches to the golfer&#39;s shoe and provides Immediate audio feedback as soon as the they start to sway as they go into their back swing. It is comprised of a pressure sensor switch that detects any increase in vertical load at the base of the user&#39;s 5 th  metatarsal head. It in turn activates a speaker that then emits an audio signal alerting the golfer that he or she is starting to sway. The pressure sensor switch can also be placed under the base of the user&#39;s 1&#39;st metatarsal head to indicate that proper push off is occurring off the toe during their down swing thus adding power to their stroke.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to an audio feedback training device that aidsthe beginning golfer or high handicapper to avoid swaying during theirbackswing.

2. Description of Prior Art

Many beginning golfers and high handicappers find it very difficult toavoid swaying as they start into their backswing. It's a common faultparticularly in these two groups of golfers. Sway occurs when there isexcessive lateral movement of the lower body away from the target duringthe back swing. It invariably causes inconsistent striking resulting ineither miss hits or poorly struck balls. Because swaying is so prevalentin so many golfers one would think that there would have been a plethoraof golf aids developed in an attempt to address this problem. However, areview of prior art reveals more than twice the number of golf aidsdesigned to detect and or correct for head movement or head rotationthan there are those designed to detect and or correct for swaying.Though both of these golf faults may occur simultaneously they morecommonly occur independent of one another. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,729,200;4,392,830; 4,560,166; 5,108,104; 5,251,902 5,993,323; 6,048,324;6,939,245 and 7,207,896 are all related to head movement or headrotation while the following patents cited below are related to sway.U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,341 for Honbarger is a foot holding device attachedto the lead foot securing it to the ground with a heavy spike anddesigned to prevent swaying during the golf swing. The fact that a heavyspike is required severely limits the use of this device to just thegolfer's back yard and certainly not on any golf course and most if notall driving ranges. U.S. Patent No. 4,103,897 for Ostyn is comprised ofa clamp fastened across the shank of the golfer's shoe with a flexibleband that straps around the lower leg and requires the golfer tomaintain proper ankle posture during back swing mitigating back sway.Unlike Honbarger's device Ostyn's device can be used on a golf course ora driving range. Since it does have a flexible band that straps aroundthe lower leg it is something of an encumbrance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,771for Fern is a device that is clamped to the sole of a shoe at the instepwith a spring plate that produces an audible signal when predeterminedflexure of it occurs with change of the angular position of the shoe asa proper or desired golf stroke is near completion. Though Fern does notrelate the device to sway it appears that it could be utilized for thatpurpose if the rear foot inverts enough as a result of swaying duringback swing to activate its audio signal. Like Ostyn's device this toocould be used on a golf course or driving range. Though it's not much ofan encumbrance it's still very visible extending out from both sides ofthe shoe of the user. U.S. Pat. No 5,443,267 for Thorson is a leg bracewhich restricts improper leg movement during the golf swing and in sodoing lessens or eliminates the sway. In addition to being something ofan encumbrance there may also be an issue with comfort since the lowerbase member of this brace can be placed inside the user's shoe. U.S.Pat. No. 6,612,937 is an apparatus that emits bands of light to indicatethe golfer's position with respect to a centered position and aids inmaintaining that position during swing thus avoiding lateral sway. Thisdevice does lend itself to use on a driving range but with the addedinconvenience of not only having to carry golf clubs and range balls theuser would also have to carry the apparatus that emits the bands oflight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an audio biofeedback device that alerts thegolfer to the fact that they are starting to sway laterally as they gointo their back swing. One of the earliest indications of a lateral swayis a shift in their weight distribution resulting in an increasevertical load directly under the base of their right 5^(th) metatarsalhead for a right handed player and the reverse for a left handed player.The desired weight distribution for golfers as they go through theirback swing is to have it occur over their instep with the major verticalload directly under the base of their 1'st metatarsal head withvirtually no weight load perceived over the lateral side of their footand no vertical load evident under the base of their 5^(th) metatarsalhead. In addition to detecting and correcting lateral sway the presentinvention may also be utilized to aid in pushing off of the right toefor a right handed player during their downswing. Just as the audiosignal is activated with increase vertical load under the base of the5^(th) metatarsal head due to sway during the backswing it may also beactivated with increase vertical load under the base of the 1^(st)metatarsal head as a result of pushing off of the toe during thedownswing. The present invention is comprised of a U shaped plastic bandthat houses a speaker, a battery, a pressure sensor switch and theirelectrical connections plus cleats on the bottom portion of the deviceand a Velcro strap with a loop attachment.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Objects and advantages of the present invention are:

-   (a) to provide an inexpensive, light weight and unobtrusive golf aid    for the purpose of aiding in detecting and correcting swaying during    backswing.-   (b) to provide an inexpensive, light weight and unobtrusive golf aid    for the purpose of aiding in pushing off of the toe for increasing    power during the downswing.-   (c) to provide an inexpensive, light weight and unobtrusive sport    aid for the purpose of aiding toe push off to enhance various    athletic efforts such as pitching in baseball, passing in football    and possibly serving in tennis.-   (d) to provide an inexpensive, light weight and unobtrusive golf aid    that can be easily attached and detached from the golfer's shoe.-   (e) to provide an audio signal that is so sensitive that it alerts    the golfer to the fact that they have started to sway as they    initiate their backswing.-   (f) to provide an audio signal that alerts the user that they are    appropriately pushing off of their toe as they engage in various    athletic efforts such as pitching in baseball, passing in football    and possibly serving in tennis.-   (g) to provide a light weight and small enough golf aid so that it    can be carried in the golfer's pocket or golf bag and can be used    for practicing in a variety of locations such as the driving range,    the golf course or one's own living room or back yard.

Additional objects and advantages of this inexpensive and unobtrusivegolf aid will be made apparent from the ensuing description anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of the device

FIG. 2 is an underside view of the device

FIG. 3 is a side view of the device attached to a shoe

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the circuitry of the device in FIGS. 1through 3

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

1. Plastic U shaped band

2. Speaker

3. Battery

4. Pressure sensor switch

5. Cleats

6. Velcro strap

7. Loop attached to Velcro strap

DESCRIPTION—FIGS. 1 to 3

Referring to the drawings wherein the preferred embodiment of theinvention in FIGS. 1 through 3. FIG. 1 shows the device as it appearsunattached to a shoe with the upper portion of the plastic U shaped bandhousing the battery and the speaker and the lower portion housing theside of the pressure sensor switch that is placed under the sole of theshoe that corresponds to the base of the user's 5^(th) metatarsal head.FIG. 2 show the device as it appears unattached to a shoe but oppositein view to that shown in FIG. 1. The upper portion of the plastic Ushaped band now shows the side of the pressure sensor switch that hasdirect contact with the ground while the bottom portion now shows thehousing for the battery and the speaker. FIG. 3 shows the device as itappears attached to a shoe with the pressure sensor switch positioneddirectly under the sole of the user's shoe corresponding to the base oftheir right 5^(th) metatarsal head for right handed players and the baseof their left 5^(th) metatarsal head for left handed players.

1. An audio feedback training device comprising a plastic band, meansfor attaching and securing said band to the user's shoe, said bandcontaining means for producing from a speaker an audio signal onlyincident to a predetermined weight shift occurring directly under thebase of the user's 5^(th) metatarsal head during the back swing of theirgolf stroke or the base of the user's 1^(st) metatarsal head during thedown swing of their golf stroke.
 2. The audio feedback training deviceof claim 1 wherein said band contains a Velcro strap and loop forattaching and securing said band to the user's shoe.
 3. The audiofeedback training device of claim 1 wherein said band contains apressure sensor switch attached to a shoe wherein the bottom portion ofsaid pressure switch has ground contact.
 4. The audio feedback trainingdevice of claim 1 wherein said band containing means for producing froma speaker an audio signal wherein said audio signal is emitted in thesound of a beep and is dependent on activation from said pressure sensorswitch.
 5. The audio feedback training device of claim wherein said bandattached to a shoe contains on its bottom portion cleats that would haveground contact when in use.
 6. The audio feedback training device ofclaim 1 wherein said device is used principally during the golfer's backswing and down swing may also be used in a number of non-golfingphysical activities such as pitching in baseball, passing in footballand serving in tennis.